(Zucchini) Brownies

Meet my newest lightened-up dessert creation: an intensely chocolate brownie, featuring some hidden healthy stuff, the (Zucchini) Brownie! I say (zucchini) because, honestly, no one would ever guess that this brownie has zucchini in the mix -- you can't detect any vegetable flavor whatsoever -- it just makes the brownies super dense and moist. They are almost a cross between zucchini bread and brownies, but the brownie ends up being more fudge-y than bread-y (the BEST kind!). They are also lighter than your average brownie, because they contain no oil or butter, whole wheat (instead of white) flour, and you also get a serving of veg in every piece! Not to mention, they are insanely rich; a perfect treat for the chocolate lover looking for a fix (aka: ME. And everyone? I don't understand people who don't live for chocolate.).

Now what about this doesn't sound good? Let's get to baking!

Baked Artichoke Chicken

I first saw a variation of this recipe on pinterest, and I LOVED the idea of it all. Here it goes: put some vegetables (including artichoke hearts, which I adore) on the bottom of a pan, place chicken on the veggies, top it all off with a flavorful sauce, and bake. Why is this so amazing?! First of all, it's super easy to throw together. Then, as it bakes (and you walk away), the oven does the work for you: the sauce seeps into the chicken; the chicken drippings and sauce marinate the vegetables as they cook; a delightful sauce with a combination of these flavors coats the entire dish.

As you take the dish out of the oven, you will be amazed at how things have changed since you first walked away. Finally, you just grab a plate, throw on some veggies & a piece of chicken, and get yourself some carbs to soak up the tangy sauce in which the entire dish is now bathing.

My contribution is the sauce, featuring ingredients such as white wine, Dijon mustard, and tarragon. It makes the entire dish burst with flavor, and complements the artichoke and chicken perfectly. I also made sure to include a printable recipe below -- I've been forgetting to do that; so hopefully that helps for those who like to cook from an easy-to-read hard copy!

Now, onto the good, no great, stuff... 

Pureed Cauliflower (w/ Cheese & Roasted Garlic)

"Mmmmm... these mashed potatoes are really good!"
"This is cauliflower?!"
"I can't stop thinking about that cauliflower dish. I don't even like cauliflower..."

Just a few remarks I've heard after my friends and loved-ones tried this deceptively delicious dish. Whatever your thoughts on veggies, or cauliflower, I promise, this will satisfy your comfort-food craving for mashed potatoes, but with more nutritional value and less of the bad stuff. I served them as a side with my Turkey & Veg Meatloaf, and it was a dynamite combo!! Give it a whirl for dinner... easy, delicious, satisfying... What are you waiting for?!

Turkey & Veg Meatloaf w/ Balsamic Glaze

Pictures of meatloaf can never do it justice. I've been pouring over my pics, and well, they're not very attractive. And let's be honest, a "meat loaf" in no way sounds appetizing. But, trust me, this was moist, flavorful, and delicious "comfort" food -- the LAST thing I would think was that this dish was packed full of lean protein and veggies -- but it is! You've to give this recipe a try; I was absolutely shocked how MUCH I loved it!!

I served this with my Pureed Cauliflower, and it was the perfect healthy comfort food complement. That post is coming up next, so check back if that suits your fancy!

Lightened-Up Chicken & Curry Pot Pie

Hello fresh followers, yes, I am finally sharing new, and (hopefully), inspired, recipes with you! This recipe is the first of a series that I call "lightened-up" comfort food: warm, hearty, and rich dishes for winter that are also guilt-free.

I am quite delighted that this is the first recipe; it captures the theme perfectly -- a delicious, crowd-pleasing dish, but was simple to make and also deceptively healthy. The recipe is similar to a traditional chicken pot pie, however, I lightened-it up by taking away the bottom crust, adding more veggies, and creating a lighter sauce that also features some curry flavor! It was soul-soothing and seemed decadent -- however, keep reading -- I promise that you will be shocked to see how healthy it really is! Let's do this...

Healthy Recipe Compilation

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!!! I don't know about y'all, but I was just about the laziest person alive -- there has been A LOT of couch sitting and mimosa drinking in my life, haha. I was in desperate need of some relaxation, so sorry I haven't been around much! However, now that I'm rejuvenated, I'm really looking forward to the New Year, and helping people incorporate fresh & healthy ingredients into their lives!

I'm currently developing some lightened-up classic comfort food dishes; wonderful meals to keep you warm in the winter that are more nutritious than the usual! Until I get those posts ready, I wanted to share a compilation of some of the healthiest recipes on my blog, featuring breakfast, salads, & entrees! Just click on the title to get to the specific recipes that interest you. Hope you try them out, and here's to a FRESH 2013!!

Breakfast 

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa 

Mango-Nut Granola

Almond Butter, Oatmeal & Banana Bars

Salads

Citrus Quinoa Salad

 



Chinese Chicken Salad

Quick & Easy Quinoa Salad

  











Entrees & Sides

White Bean & Chicken Chili

Baked "Fried" Chicken

Panko-Crusted Asian Salmon & Lightened-Up Fried Rice 

Baked Fish w/ Arugula-Caper Salsa Verde

Roasted Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes

 














Orzo-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Roasted Chicken w/ Citrus-Garlic Sauce (Note: to make this dish less fattening, remove the skin upon eating.)

There are more healthy recipes on the blog, but I thought this was a nice variety. EAT FRESH! ~Leah

And the winner is...

Peanut Butter & Peppers!!

And a HUGE thank you to everyone else for your support. I truly appreciate it, and I am looking forward to sharing many more fresh & seasonal recipes with you! Happy Holidays!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I've been wanting to do some whoopie pies for a while, and I thought red velvet would be lovely for Christmas! And, oh, were these tasty! They feature classic red velvet flavors, but in a different vehicle. These little hand-held "pies" are perfect for giving as a gifts (no forks required!). In retrospect, I wish I had made them a little smaller, but in my directions, I'll let you know what I did, and how to make them smaller, if you wish.

If you're looking for a unique, delicious treat for Christmas (or anytime), these are perfect to add to your "to-bake" list...

Christmas Baking Compilation

I AM DONE WITH THIS SEMESTER!!! What does that mean?? No more school for a few weeks, and time to cook/bake my face off! I am already plotting some awesome Christmas goodies and winter dishes, and I can't wait to share them with you!

Until then, here are some desserts I've already made that are holiday baking perfection. Check them out, and click on the title/name to get to the actual post. Hope you enjoy, and much love to you and your friends/family this Christmas!

ALSO, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE WINTER GIVEAWAY GOING ON NOW!!!


** BARS **

"Sinner" Bark

* Layers of: Chocolate, Caramel, Whiskey-Marshmallow Cream & Candied Bacon

Yeah, you read that right!! Absolutely sinful, and ridulously delicious! The guys (and gals) in your life will go crazy over this, I promise!


 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

  

* A perfect layered bar: Slightly sweet shortbread, chewy caramel, rich chocolate, and topped with a little finishing salt.

Lovely in a goodie basket!






Seven Layer Bars
* Super easy to make, and they taste divine!

Just layer butter, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, shredded coconut, and bake!








 ** COOKIES **

Gingerbread Cookies

* The best way to feature the comforting warmth and spice of gingerbread -- in a soft, melt-in-your mouth cookie! And for some extra goodness, add a little white chocolate to the center.

These just taste like Christmas.




Triple Chocolate Cookies  

* Chocolate cookie with dark and milk chocolate pieces, with some pecans for a nutty crunch.

As a friend said, these were MADE for a glass of milk :)













 
White Chocolate Orange Cookies

 * Soft sugar cookie with a hint of orange and white chocolate chips. For more orange kick, add the orange glaze!









** TRIFLE & CAKE POPS **

Chocolate Cherry Trifle

 * A traditional trifle featuring layers of brandy-soaked chocolate cake, chocolate custard, cherry jam, cherries, and whipped cream.

I made this as the Christmas dessert last year, and it was an absolute knockout!






 Red Velvet Cake Pops  

* Moist red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting, covered in a white chocolate candy shell.

I made these for Valentine's Day last year, but they would be perfect to decorate with some Christmas cheer!

** Winter Giveaway ** Enter now until 12/20!

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal (w/ Apples & Pecans)

Fall is nearing an end, and here you have my favorite breakfast for this time of year! It's healthy, hearty, and by far the most delicious oatmeal preparation out there (in my humble opinion). Read more on why I love baked oatmeal & another great recipe here. If you haven't tried it yet, I promise, you will never go stove top/microwave again. For those of you who have, you feel me, right??

Guest Post?

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!!! Between Friendsgiving and 2 other Thanksgiving meals, I still feel like I'm in a Turkey coma, haha.

I had a lot of fun relaxing over the last few days, but unfortunately, now it's back to reality. I will be spending most of my time in the library preparing for finals, taking finals, doing presentations, and writing a paper, until December 14th. BIG sad face. I will probably only be able to do one or two posts in the meantime, and then BIG happy face, I will have A MONTH of free time to blog!!

So, I was wondering if anyone, with or without a blog, would be interested in doing a guest post from now until mid-December? Any late fall or holiday recipes would be fantastic! Just looking for a recipe, a picture of the finished product, and preferably a few in between pics and a story about the dish. And of course, fresh is a must! :)

If you are interested, comment on this post or send a message to my facebook page. I can get you my contact info from there!

"Friendsgiving" Highlights

One of my very favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! Okay, it's no Christmas, but it definitely shouldn't be overshadowed. It is an amazing ritual; historically rich, you get to eat an exorbitant amount of delicious comfort food, and it's a time to share with loved ones.

This year, I decided to host a "Friendsgiving" to share my food, and love, with some great friends. It's exactly like it sounds: Thanksgiving food, but with friends. On Sunday, I had 15 awesome people crammed into my apartment; I made the turkey, gravy, stuffing, Apple Cider Sangria, and Pumpkin Cheesecake. Then, my friends brought EVEN MORE food and drinks: Cornbread Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Butternut Squash Risotto, Corn Pudding, Mashed Potatoes, more gravy, rolls, Cranberry Sauce, multiple bottles of wine, four kinds of beer... YEAH, it was a FEAST!! Not only did we stuff ourselves silly, but it was a great time to get in the holiday spirit and catch up with friends; there was much conversation, laughter, and football chatter. More than anything, it reminded me how thankful I am to have amazing people in my life (BY CHOICE! haha) that I can spend an extra holiday with! :)

Here's a few highlights from the meal (I totally forgot to take a pic of the sangria -- boo.). I'm going to try to post the recipes, but please let me know if there is any recipe in particular you would like to get your hands on! I was especially pleased with (and complimented on) my Roast Turkey and Pumpkin Cheesecake (w/ Bourbon Whipped Cream -- ohhh yeah).

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! Many blessings to you, your family, and friends -- and of course, hope you EAT GREAT (fresh) FOOD!! :)

*First* Serving (after a few bites!)

Roast Turkey -- The brine was really great! Or so I'm told :)

Sourdough Sausage & Herb Stuffing (right)

Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Graham Cracker Crust

Slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Bourbon Whipped Cream

Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese

Looking for an absolutely delicious & decadent side for Thanksgiving or a fall family meal? Well, here ya have it! This dish features pureed butternut squash and a mix of ooey-oogey cheeses, baked to perfection with shells, and topped off with a crunchy breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Without a doubt, this fall twist on a familiar classic will have everyone going back for seconds (my boyfriend definitely did!). So clearly, it's time to get (mac 'n) cheesy for the holidays...

Thankgiving Recipe Compilation

Hey all, it's been a super busy semester (per usual), and I have been feeling guilty about my limited posting. I have a few Thanksgiving-esque recipes in the works, but I also thought heyyy, I already have some good stuff on my blog, so I compiled a few recipes to help people get to prepping for T-Giving. My goal is to post two more recipes this week, and then after my "Friendsgiving" Feast on Sunday, I will post my turkey, gravy, stuffing, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Apple Cider Sangria recipes (hopefully) on Monday -- so keep checking back for new ideas to make your Turkey Day terrifically tasty!

For Thanksgiving:

Green Bean, Mushroom & Artichoke Casserole

Tired of Green Bean Casserole? Try my Green Bean & Bacon Salad for a cold & zingy side!!

Corn Pudding

Try a variation on my Roasted Grape, Goat Cheese, & Pecan Sweet Potatoes instead of your normal sweet potato casserole.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Super Fresh Cherry Pie -- I realize it may be hard to find fresh cherries, so try defrosted & strained frozen cherries instead!

How To: Perfect Pie Crust


Other Great Fall Recipes:

Spiced Apple Butter

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries


~ Happy Thanksgiving Planning!! Plan fresh! :)

Spiced Pumpkin Beer Bread (w/ Cinnamon Whipped Cream)

By now, you all have probably picked up on my love of breads. BUT boy, was I in for a treat with this one. Yes, you read the title right: pumpkin AND beer. Could fall GET any better than slightly sweet, spiced, dense, pumpkin-y bread?? Ummm, no way. The bread has a subtle beer taste, but best of all, the beer gives the bread a wonderfully moist texture. I used a Pumpkin Ale (not pictured), but you can use whatever you like! I would suggest an ale or something similar.

A friend of mine invited me over for dinner the day I made this bread, so I thought this would also be nice as a sweet end to the meal (it was!). When I got there, I whipped up some Cinnamon Whipped Cream to make it slightly more decadent/desserty. It was pretty divine. It's not pictured, but I've also included the recipe for the whipped cream, if you want to go that route! This would also be lovely with a big ol' scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oooh, that sounds soo good right now. May need to go make some more...

Fall Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Love me some slow cooker!! -- especially when things get busy and the weather starts to cool off. Here is what I call a "fall" chicken chili because it has some surprising fall ingredients, and it is the perfect comfort food (and pretty guilt-free comfort food at that!). It is also ridiculously easy: prep ingredients, throw in the slow cooker, do other stuff for 8 hours, and voila, comforting and tasty dinner right at ya! Hope y'all enjoy this recipe as much as I do!! It makes quite a bit, so share with some friends or family and freeze the rest for later. Let's just get to it, shall we...

Pumpkin Smoothie

Lightened-Up Apple Muffins

Ladies and gentlemen, it officially feels like fall in Houston, Texas. On Monday, I opened the door to let my dog out (I adopted a dog!!), and as soon as I did, I felt the cool, brisk air, and I knew ahhh... it's here (at least for now). So naturally, I threw on some boots and a comfy top, ate one of these muffins for breakfast, and smiled the whole rest of the day! :)

Speaking of muffin, here we go with another Ellie Krieger-inspired recipe. I really love her stuff; I have learned a lot about how to make moist, delicious baked goods while substituting lighter ingredients. This muffin is perfect for a figure-friendly fall! It contains chunks of real apple and apple sauce (keep reading to see how lovely the inside is!), and uses ingredients such as buttermilk and whole wheat flour to keep it nice and healthy (while still tasting fantastic!). They are moist and flavorful, with a light touch of sweetness and crunch from the pecan/brown sugar/cinnamon topping. They are a wonderful breakfast or late night treat, AND they also freeze beautifully, which is my favorite part -- I can grab one in the morning, let it defrost for a couple minutes, and voila: a delicious, healthy fall breakfast in no time! And it keeps getting better...

Roasted Grape, Goat Cheese & Pecan Sweet Potatoes

Hello, fall! I have loved the feedback everyone gave me, and the excitement that was shared, for fall recipes. It was really fun learning what people were looking forward to -- I had already been plotting, pinning, and preparing, but it gave me even more ideas, so thank you for the inspiration! When I read that two of Ali's favorite fall foods are sweet potato and grapes, I thought how perfect, because my first fall food post, this dish, features both!!

I have always been preferred a simple sweet potato recipe, with one of my favorite's being Baked Sweet Potato Fries. I enjoy preparations of sweet potatoes with salt, because it balances the sweetness nicely, and was never fond of super-sweet Thanksgiving style sweet potatoes. However, this dish captures the perfect balance of flavors and textures for the sweet potato. I'm not kidding when I say this is by far the best sweet potato I've ever had! The roasted grapes are incredible -- they add a complex and richly sweet grape flavor that complements the sweet potato in the most unexpected way. I never would have thought of the two together, and have How Sweet It Is to thank for the idea! Then, the creamy goat cheese adds some tangy-ness, and the pecans are a welcome bit of nutty crunch. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and salt, and you're good to go! This dish truly is sweet meets savory at its finest. I didn't add any additional sweetener because I thought the grapes gave it the perfect amount, but if you like your sweet potatoes really sweet, just top of with some honey or agave syrup. 

I am extremely excited for y'all to try this!! It may look like a crazy combination, but believe me, you will be amazed at how well it all comes together. It is sure to be a healthy, delightful dish you will want to eat over and over (and over) again!